Urban Outfitters Inc brand Leifsdottir debuted it’s first footwear collection at New York Fashion Week. Designer Johanna Uurasjarvi, the previous creative designer for Anthropologie, was inspired by her travels and Finnish heritage. The shoedish.com says the collection is a, “reflection of global exploration with an appreciation for artistic design, color, and prints and the Leifsdottir woman, according to the designer, is ‘hip, optimistic, curious, and cultured.’” The collection is due to hit stores in late January/early February.

Nordstrom and New Balance are teaming up to give back this season. According to mediapost.com , “Nordstrom stores are displaying holiday trees, with tags shoppers can buy for $20. Those funds go to Shoes That Fit, a national nonprofit organization that identifies children most in need of footwear.” A minimum of 11,450 pairs will be donated and Nordstrom is covering the cost of shipping. That’s the spirit. It’s nice to see companies giving back. And it doesn’t help that it’s drawing customers into the store either.

Lady Gaga is certainly an attention getter. This time, it’s her shoes that have us talking. For her, the crazier the better. Her new gravity-defying “heels” were made from black leather,  zippered up the back, had a 6″ high platform in the front and had spikes on the inside “heel”, except there was no heel at all, it was just a balancing act. Is this the future of footwear? The stylelist.com speculates that the shoes were made by Noritaka Tatehana.

Stride Rite, everyone’s favorite childhood brand, are upping their advertising. According to mediapost.com, “ For the first time in 20 years, the shoe company will air a national TV ad in attempt to tap into young mothers’ nostalgia and to link the 91-year-od brand to the tradition of watching A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The campaign also includes social media outreach, in store marketing, and print advertisements in parenting magazines.  The New York Times says, “The cornerstone of the campaign is the company’s branded shoe selection system, Scientifically Tested Everyday Proven, or S.T.E.P., which guides parents on which shoes to buy for a child from ages 1 through 5. The system focuses on three stages of child foot development including the ‘pre-walker’ stage, when children are crawling, the ‘early walker’ stage, when children take their first steps and the ‘off and running’ stage, when toddlers are walking.”

The footwear industry is coming back with a bang. Reuters cites the success of Brown Shoe Company and DSW, specifically. “As we begin the fourth quarter, we continue to experience robust sales growth at Famous Footwear, where same-store sales are trending in the high single-digits,” Brown Shoe Chief Executive Ron Fromm said. Also, DSW has raised its yearly estimates for the second time this year.